


when you're ready (we can share the wine)

by dizzy



Category: Farscape RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-31
Updated: 2011-01-31
Packaged: 2017-10-16 01:06:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/166791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dizzy/pseuds/dizzy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for <span class="ljuser ljuser-name_angylinni"><a href="http://angylinni.livejournal.com/profile"><img/></a><a href="http://angylinni.livejournal.com/"><b>angylinni</b></a></span> for the Australia fandom auction. Set more or less present day, with a handwaving of significant others (though it isn't expressly said that they don't <i>have</i> significant others - they just aren't mentioned, so fair warning there).</p>
    </blockquote>





	when you're ready (we can share the wine)

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [](http://angylinni.livejournal.com/profile)[**angylinni**](http://angylinni.livejournal.com/) for the Australia fandom auction. Set more or less present day, with a handwaving of significant others (though it isn't expressly said that they don't _have_ significant others - they just aren't mentioned, so fair warning there).

It's only by chance that Claudia is at home when Ben calls. She'd planned on being out for the day, but when the babysitter called in sick she'd canceled her plans and picked up her younger son when his morning daycare session was over.

She'd resigned herself to a not entirely unwelcome quiet afternoon with her younger son until it was time to pick her older one up from preschool. Shortly after feeding him lunch, her phone rings.

"Just caught this movie on tv," Ben says, as soon as Claudia answers her phone. She recognizes his voice instantly, as though it's only been a few days and not close to a year since she's seen him.

She doesn't bother asking which movie he's talking about, just cringes instinctively. "Oh, God."

"It's a pretty shitty movie, but-"

"Don't-" She's not sure she wants to know.

"But you look good as a vampire," he finishes. "I don't know why they didn't give you a bigger part."

"I could list a few reasons," she says, dryly, shifting the toddler on her hip. She's happy that Ben's called, happy to have his voice in her ear. She makes a face at her son and he gives her a goofy little boy grin in response. "That all you called for? To mock me for my work choices?"

"Hey, a paycheck is a paycheck, don't look at me... I'm not mocking anything. You know how many bad projects I've taken on because I needed to pay the bills?"

"You know, the internet is a wonderful place... I'm sure if I really tried I could unearth a few of those gems," Claudia teases.

"For your own mental health, don't do that," he warns. "It's not a pretty picture. The hair situation got pretty ugly for a while there."

"Oh, I'm sure you're exaggerating."

"The nineties, Claud. Do you remember that time?"

She pauses to consider her own fashion choices, largely unfortunate, during that decade.

"Point taken. Weren't you on that American soap opera?" She tries to think of the name of it. "I seem to recall plaid..."

"Hey, that was one of the more decent things I did. It wasn't a soap opera," Ben defends. "It was a nighttime drama. Primetime, network, big guns. You can watch that one. I heard it was on some website streaming last year. My kids pulled it up to mock dear old dad."

"As kids do."

He hums his agreement.

"You sound so proud," she says. "Well, I've given up forcing this face upon the filmgoing masses so fear not, that's probably the last you'll see of me in film version. My voice is much easier to sell."

She's joking, but if anyone could hear the truth in it, it would be him. They read each other so well, still.

"Claud, you know you're gorgeous," he says. "I'd watch anything with you in it."

That's a little too sincere. A little too... she shakes it off. They're fine. They've been fine for years, and he's trying to make her feel better, and it does. She lets go of would-be guilt and basks in the compliments, in the warmth of his tone. "I'm sure you would, darling, but you'd be the only one."

"You have plenty of people just chomping at the bit to see you on their movie screens, on their tv screens, their ipods and iphones and gadgets and gizmos. Scifi goddess of the internet. Honey, just go google yourself."

"Such language," she says with a smirk.

He snorts. "I'm being serious, though."

"How do you know what comes up when you internet search my name?" she asks. There is silence. Vast, deafening silence. "Well, really then?"

"Gotta keep up with you somehow," he says. "Not like you keep me up to date."

"I should," she admits. She feels a stab of guilt, because he's right. He tried to keep in touch and she'd let it fallen to the wayside, swept up in other things. "Things just get... busy."

"Yeah. Life happens," he says, and that hint of bitterness is gone like it was never there.

"I'm glad you've called," she says. The baby is getting heavy so she sits down on the couch, hoping he'll fall asleep soon. "Now tell me more about how pretty I am."

He laughs. "I've actually... don't laugh, I've got it on pause, with you on screen. I like the eye thing... you've got amazing eyes any day of the week but with that makeup... that stuff.... it looks good. Too pale, though."

"Well, vampire," she says.

"Yeah. But I like it when you're happy and rosy-cheeked."

"Rosy-cheeked?" she laughs. "That makes me sound like a cartoon character."

"You know what I mean. You look dead."

"... vam-"

"Vampire, I know," he says. "I'm just saying, I like you better how you normally look."

"That's a bold statement to make, considering you've seen me first thing in the morning before makeup."

"And you were still a knockout, so there you."

Liar, she mouths, not wanting to say it out loud. Her son gives her sleepy squint. She smooths down his hair and kisses his forehead. He'll be out soon... she's not sure if that's a good thing or not, all of a sudden.

She and Ben... they never did to well when left alone together. It's part of the reason they somehow came to the understanding that they would rarely be alone together.

"So," she continues. "You want to stare at my striking visage, but only if it looks... alive."

"I do prefer you with a pulse. Or pixelated."

"Pixelated?"

"Yeah, I been playing this game my son brought home... we decided it was a little too mature for him, so I uh, I confiscated it."

"Oh, that game?" She smirks.

"The one where you..."

"Morrigan?"

"Right."

"And you like it?"

"I feel... uh, let's just say, closer to you after playing it."

"I'm really surprised. I would have thought the red-haired girl would be more your type."

"She didn't have your voice."

"So you chose that character to romance because she sounded like me?"

"Well, I always wondered..."

"I can't imagine your curiosity was all that sated by a video game."

More of that lovely silence. She's missed this - unnerving him. She can picture the expression on his face so perfectly, those bright eyes, the way he'd be flushing...

She takes her son and puts him into his bed, tucking him in and brushing a kiss over his forehead. When she walks out, she shuts the door behind her mostly, leaving it open just a crack in case he cries for her.

"Ben? Did I lose you?" she asks.

"Nope, still here," he says.

"So, what were we discussing?" She gives him a smooth out, but hopes he won't take it. This conversation is making her feel tingly and aware in a way she hasn't in a very long time.

"My curiosity, I think."

"Oh... right. Well, you never answered."

"The answer would be no, a video game isn't really doing the trick at all." She hears him take a breath. "Kind of left me wanting something else."

"Really," she says, a statement and not a question. "What did it leave you wanting?"

She doesn't think he'll really say it.

He does.

"You."

"That's very.... bold."

"Shit, Claud, I'm sorry-" He starts to backtrack right away.

"No, don't apologize," she says. Her laughter is nervous but she knows if she hesitates he'll end this completely and, wrong or not, she likes where it's going. And, since she's always been taught honesty is the best policy... she tells him,"I like it."

"Yeah?" He sounds disbelieving.

"Yes."

"So then..."

"Tell me what it left you wanting, Ben."

She rubs a hand along her thigh, unable to believe that she's actually considering this. Actually, it's harder to believe that Ben is considering this. But he is, and she is, and it's happening.

"You in that outfit. Taking it off of you."

"You've seen me mostly naked plenty of times."

"Big difference in mostly naked and naked."

"Your imagination probably does me favors..."

"Doubt it," he says. "Maybe before you had the babies..."

"You realize most of that is gone by now, right?" She laughs. It's not the first time she's heard that statement. "Sadly, I think I'm left with less than I had before."

"Still enough," he says, and she can hear that change in pitch in his voice, hear it deepen and somehow the sound is more intimate. It thrills her to think that this is what he'd sound like if they were laying in bed together.

She glances toward the front door. It's locked, but she still can't bring herself to do this here. She gets up and walks into the bedroom.

"Ben."

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing?"

".... uh."

"Say it. Please." Her voice has dropped, throaty and deep. She already knows, but it's the voice - she wants more of it.

"Claud..."

"Please."

"I'm jerking off," he says. "I'm... damn. I haven't done this in... a really long time."

"Had a wank?"

"While I was... on the phone with someone."

She unbuttons and unzips her jeans, sliding her hand inside. There's little room to maneuver but she gets two fingers against her clit, though her panties. It feels good, easing the ache that's been ramping up this entire conversation. "So watching me made you hard?"

"No. Talking to you did," he says. "Not the movie. But... this."

"I wish I could see what you're doing right now."

"Should I be wishing the same?"

She pulls her hand back out and pushes her pants down to her thighs. "Yes. Yes, you should."

"Good," he says, and for a few seconds there's nothing but the sound of his quickening breath. "Claud. Talk to me."

"I'm thinking about it. I'm thinking about what you'd look like with your dick in your hand," she says, and bites back a whimper when she slides her hand into her panties. She leaves them on, because it feels more illicit and somehow that's hotter. "I'm wet, Ben."

"For me?"

Her stomach does a pleasant flip. Of course he'd be that kind of guy - always has been, sweet and shy on the surface but alpha male underneath. Any other guy and it would be a turn off, but Ben...

"For you," she says. "I think a lot about what could have happened... times it almost did..."

"That night," he says, and she knows which one he means instantly. "It would have been so easy..."

"If you'd put one hand on me, I'd have been yours," she says. "If you'd kissed me or touched me."

"I wanted to touch you. I want to touch you right now."

"What would you do?" She wants to see if she can draw the words from him, but even if she doesn't she's already close, just from knowing what he's doing.

"Kiss you," he says, and it's a far cry from dirty talk but it's _Ben_ saying it to her and she has to put the phone on speaker because she needs both hands free. Ben telling her that he wants to kiss her is hotter than another man saying any number of filthy things. She's conditioned to respond to so little with him.

"I'm touching myself for you. I'm imagining that it's you."

"I want to taste you, Claud..."

"I want to suck you," she says, because this kind of language has never been something she's backed away from. "I want to suck your cock and I want you to come in my mouth."

"F-fuck..."

She hears skin on skin now, over the line, hears the whisper of it. She used to know his hands so well, used to see them every day, and it's been so long... she bites down on her bottom lip and presses harder. Everything is slick and easy now, almost too slick for the friction she needs but his rough breathing makes up the difference.

"Are you going to come for me, Ben?" She asks, circling her fingers faster and faster, moving her hips up into it. She clenches around nothing, wishes he were here. "I wish you were fucking me right now, Ben."

"God..."

"Yeah? Ben? Are you-"

"Yeah..." He says.

And then there's no more talking, just soft quiet sounds of pleasure until she hears him groan long and low and choke out something that she thinks is her name and she knows he's coming. It's that more than anything, knowing what he's doing and that it's because of her, that sends her over the edge.

"Oh... my," she finally says, a smile in her voice. "You really should call more often."

He laughs, and she's so glad for it, because this could turn so awkward so fast. "Damn. I don't even know what to say."

"Then don't say anything." She rolls onto a side, clutching her phone with the fingers of her other hand, the ones that aren't slick. She wipes her other hand against her thigh, jeans still keeping her legs together. She'll need to change underwear before she leaves the room. She presses her palm between her legs, blunt against her clit to feel the aftershocks, little jags of pleasure. "I really have missed you."

"Me too," he says, and she can hear how drowsy he is now.

"I wish you were here." Maybe it's too much of a confession, too much of an admission, but at the moment she has to trust him. They read each other; they get each other.

Right now, she wishes she could rest her head on his chest, smell him - she still remembers how he smelled every day on set, standing so close to her. She wishes she could hear his heartbeat under her ear and have him wrap his arms around her.

Maybe she never quite outgrew that silly schoolgirl in love routine she always felt around him.

Then again, maybe he never stopped looking at her in ways that made her feel like that, either.

The silence stretches longer until she wonders if he's really fallen asleep. She hears fussing down the hallway, loud crying.

Ben can hear it, too. He must be able to because the next thing he says is, "You gotta go?"

"I can ring you back later," she murmurs, sitting up and reaching for her pants. "If you'd like."

"I would. I really would," he says.

She releases a breath, relief washing over her. "I'll talk to you then."


End file.
